How do you define Freedom of Speech?

Discussion in 'Politics & Religion' started by BamaStangGuy, Feb 8, 2006.

  1. #1
    Honestly how do you define it? Do you feel anyone should be able to say anything? This includes racial slurs and the whole nine yards. Just curious to hear from you if there is a point where freedom of speech crosses a line. Any examples you can think of?
     
    BamaStangGuy, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  2. ly2

    ly2 Notable Member

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    #2
    Say anything, anytime, about anyone.
     
    ly2, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  3. BamaStangGuy

    BamaStangGuy Notable Member

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    #3
    Asshole!

    Sounds good to me. However do you believe there has to be limits for this? At some point someone is going to say something and it is going to cause harm to others. Is this where the law comes in for slander?
     
    BamaStangGuy, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  4. ly2

    ly2 Notable Member

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    #4
    Uh, no not really. Anything, anytime, anywhere.
    I mean obviously bomb threats and stuff like that cant happen, but you get the idea.
     
    ly2, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  5. BamaStangGuy

    BamaStangGuy Notable Member

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    #5
    What about false accustations that cost people money and damage their reputation?

    Just throwing things out here.
     
    BamaStangGuy, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  6. ly2

    ly2 Notable Member

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    #6
    I dunno, give me an example...
     
    ly2, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  7. BamaStangGuy

    BamaStangGuy Notable Member

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    #7
    Well recently Mike Price, former University of Alabama football head coach won a lawsuit for defamation in which Sports Illustrated printed an article on Mike Price in which it said incorrect things about his involvement in a certain matter he was being investigated in. These comments they published were proven to be untrue but the damage was done to the many millions of people that subscribe to Sports Illustrated. Those comments while untrue are printed in a publication that millions of people rely on for truthful reporting.

    If a magazine published an article accusing you of being an child molestor and before you could defend yourself in the court of law these statements caused you to be fired from your job and ridiculed by others do you not think that this magazine should be punished for this?
     
    BamaStangGuy, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  8. GTAce

    GTAce Notable Member

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    #8
    The funny thing is, unless the plaintiff can prove that Sports Illustrated published the facts knowing that they were untrue, there is absolutely no legal basis for any sort of lawsuit
     
    GTAce, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  9. debunked

    debunked Prominent Member

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    #9
    I think freedoms are best used by those mature enough to handle them.

    Now try to figure that out.
     
    debunked, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  10. BamaStangGuy

    BamaStangGuy Notable Member

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    #10
    He won the lawsuit so I guess it was pretty easy to do so.
     
    BamaStangGuy, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  11. GTAce

    GTAce Notable Member

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    #11
    Are you sure they didnt settle out of court?

    That kind of stuff is usually pretty hard to prove
     
    GTAce, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  12. ly2

    ly2 Notable Member

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    #12
    Yeah sure, you should be able to take the offender to court and sue them.
    When I say anthing, anywhere, anytime I mean in general. But even still in the above case, nobody is saying they CANT do it, they just have to be held responsible. And by being held responsible, I dont mean beheadings and riots ;)
     
    ly2, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  13. BamaStangGuy

    BamaStangGuy Notable Member

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    #13
    ^ Sounds good to me then
     
    BamaStangGuy, Feb 8, 2006 IP
  14. Henny

    Henny Peon

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    #14
    To me the Freedom of Speech is the ability to stand on a streetcorner and blaspheme the most powerful person in the said country. If you are allowed to say ANYTHING you want, no matter how vile or untrue about a leader, than you have free speech. Don't expect it to go unchallenged though.
     
    Henny, Feb 9, 2006 IP
  15. BamaStangGuy

    BamaStangGuy Notable Member

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    #15
    You are correct, they did end up settling.
     
    BamaStangGuy, Feb 9, 2006 IP
  16. Blitz

    Blitz Well-Known Member

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    #16
    I don't think freedom of speech exists or ever will do.
     
    Blitz, Feb 9, 2006 IP
  17. latehorn

    latehorn Guest

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    #17
    freedom to express whatever you like whenever you want. It does not exist in any civil country since it's illegal to speak about state secrets.
     
    latehorn, Feb 9, 2006 IP
  18. lorien1973

    lorien1973 Notable Member

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    #18
    Too many people think freedom of speech means the right to be heard.
     
    lorien1973, Feb 9, 2006 IP
  19. tom_ryeback

    tom_ryeback Peon

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    #19
    tom_ryeback, Feb 9, 2006 IP
  20. tesla

    tesla Notable Member

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    #20
    I define freedom of speech as being able to wear a t-shirt to a conference which says "2245 dead. How many more?" without being thrown out.

    Oh yeah, Cindy Sheehan tried that and got kicked out and arrested. So much for the first amendment.
     
    tesla, Feb 10, 2006 IP